Second Chances.

I went out this morning to a quaint little cattle ranch I have permission to call!

It worked well with the southwestern wind!

I parked the truck next to a large pile of scrap metal in hopes that it would blend in. As I was gearing up I noticed all the cattle were in the far west pasture so I started game planning in my head where and in what order I would set up. If the southern end grass is cut I may be able to get 4 sets in here. As I am about to set out I notice something out in the western pasture just south of the cows. A quick peak through the binos revealed 3 deer feeding in the field. I wasn’t able to spot antlers but didn’t I look long.

So I reach the first spot I had in mind and get set up a bit later then I would have liked. But the tree line about 100 yards to the east allows me to continue to call a bit after the sun breaks the horizon. The first stand irritated a few crows but no predators!

I pick up and move about 400 yards south and set up with my back against a large oak and the sun and a large dense pine thicket to the south.

I set the e-call and MOJO Critter just a bit upwind and in place up on some laid over brush grass to get it up above the high grass to get a good signal. I bring this up as this puts the call and decoy upwind about 50 yards out and really at the far end or just out of shotgun range!

Behind the oak tree I am using as a back rest is some thick tall grass where I have jumped both dear and coyotes in the past so I start the session with some low volume rodent distress. After a couple of sequences with no response I switch to old reliable, the Double Buck latex call from Reese Outdoors. But due to the close quarters behind me I choose a recorded sound I uploaded to my e-call instead of calling myself and bringing any critters right to the oak tree!

After just a few minutes into the jacked rabbit distress I spot movement on the fence line bordering the pine thicket! It’s a real nice coyote and he must have been hungry cause he came in HOT!! There were tuffs of brush weed so I attempt to select a window in which I would have a clear shot and let out a quick bark to stop him so he will stop in that window. Great plan in theory! But he spooks as soon as I bark and rockets of to the north downwind! I hit a couple of ki-yis on my Double Reed howler and he slows to the “I’m gonna stop for a look back trot” but by the time he does stop he is a couple of hundred of yards away and behind some brush. No shot!

So in the past I have focused my attention on calling the one that got away back in since there was no shot only to be surprised by another coyote coming to the call.

So I immediately went back to the jack distress and almost immediately I see another coyote coming in on the exact same line as the first! It was like Déjà vu!

Well that is until I notice this one is quite a bit smaller then the first.

So now I am torn as to what to do! As I pointed out earlier the placement of the call and decoy has them, and the approaching coyote, just out of comfortable shotgun range and I don’t want to spook another one with a bark to try to get a quick rifle shot!

So as I am contemplating my options I goof up and allow the coyote to get to the call and decoy!

In a typical situation this would usually be a quick game over but I credit the use of a cover scent with the coyote taking a bite out of the Critter and taking two quick steps away as the Critter slaps it back and stopping! I line up the cross hairs and start applying pressure to the trigger! Just as the shot breaks the coyote leaps back at the Critter for another bite! The shot startles her and she circles downwind about 30 yards and stops to look back at me after I barked! This puts her right in front of me I send another round and it makes the approximate 40 yard trip and finds the center of her chest!

BANG! THWACK! FLOP!

She was quite a bit smaller then the first one that did the fly by but a predator none the less! Weighing in at just 27lb 13oz she is one of, if not the smallest “adult” coyote I have taken.

I don’t mind taking advantage of a second chance!

While I was taking these photos a couple of young bucks come out of the same pine thickets that the two coyotes came from.

Neither were trophies with first one being a small 6 point and the back one being either a larger 6 or maybe small 8 point. I didn’t get a great look as he didn’t get as close.

As they ease out in the field the first one seems to be curious about me and the back one a bit leery! The first one walks toward me a bit before it’s instincts kick in and it turns with the wind and starts to circle!

The last photo here shows the buck about 60 yards away just before it got my wind!